a love with boundries
by chocolatebunnie-oxox
Summary: The Cullen family have all worked in Forks hospital for a couple years now. They overcame there temptations as vampires to give people a second chance at life a chance they never had. One day a patient comes in with blood so strong and tempting..
1. Chapter 1

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EDWARD'S POV  
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The frantic screams and commotion of the chaotic scene quickly faded as I ran out the hospital doors. The combined flavours of each and every human's blood in the room abruptly disappeared the second I stopped breathing. The confused and angry thoughts from my family became more and more distant as hit the forest, running. It wasn't like me to turn my back on a patient. Not once have I ever given up, ever ran away. No. I owed it to my patients, my family, myself, to not let who, what I am come between my work. But this one was different. Her scent overwhelmed me so completely I could no longer think, no longer remember who she was, who my family was, who I was. In that very second I smelt her blood I wanted nothing more than to drink it. To drain her entirely and lick clean every surface that precious, warm, delicious blood spilt upon.

_Stop. Stop thinking like that right now Edward._

I tried to chastise myself for even letting the memory of her blood back into my brain but I couldn't help myself. No one's blood had every appealed to me as hers did. I had only come into contact, barely, with this woman for less than 3 seconds but the memory haunted me, tortured me, teased me. How would I ever go back? The embarrassment I felt for this little, slip, was too much to handle. What would Carlisle think? Nothing good I'm sure. One thing I know is that I cannot go back _now. _Not now when that woman is still there, still lying helplessly with that blood all over…

_EDWARD! Remember who you are! What you've worked for! What we have all worked for! Don't ruin this for everyone. _

I thought hard about what should happen now. What I should do. I could go back to the house and wait for the others to return. But facing them would be a lot to handle. What if they still smelt of her blood? No, going home tonight would not be the best idea. I thought more about where to go and how to explain what had happened to me that day while I hunted...quenched my thirst as much as I could.

*************************************************************************************CARLISLE'S POV  
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It all happened so suddenly.

We were spending another typical day at the hospital.

Alice, I recall, was comforting a father whose daughter was undergoing surgery.

I didn't see Jasper but he must have been scurrying around helping nurses or finishing up on some paperwork. I really do feel bad for Jasper, as controlled as he is he is definitely having the hardest time out of all of us working here at the hospital. But here is where he wants to be. Helping and saving and doing what he can to not let the "monster" in him consume and take over.

Emmet and Rosalie were in surgery; OR 3 I believe giving a woman a new nose and some larger breasts.

I was with Esme delivering a beautiful baby boy.

That's when it happened.

Are pagers beeped and all seven of us rushed down to the ER to take in the new trauma patient. Things were frantic and chaotic as usual. Hospital staff running around with needles and wires and papers trying to help wherever the need may be. Screaming and crying and shouting of orders. Yes this was typical for the ER. But not for us Cullen's. We had a...special advantage you could say. As vampires our senses were hundreds of times better and more alert then the humans. So we could always get to the patient quickly and efficiently and more often than not, save a life.

This time it was a woman who came wheeling in through the ER doors. The poor thing was dripping in blood and had multiple fractures. I believe someone yelled something about a car accident. She would need a lot of work. And I knew just the person for the job.

_Edward this one's for you son. _

I spoke it silently in my mind knowing full well he would hear me. But he was nowhere in sight. As I lifted my head off the patient and to the scene around me, there were only four of my children present. And the one I was looking for was not one of them.

_What on earth has happened now?_

"ALICE! Gauze, now! Stop this bleeding immediately".

"Rosalie, book an OR, try to get her in as quick as possible".

Yelling these orders at human speed for the benefit of everyone else in the room was least to say annoying. Especially when trying to save someone's life. With a little irritation, I called out more commands.

"Emmet, contact her family. _Anyone_. Find out what happened and if there's anything I should know before surgery".

We all scattered in our different directions, thinking the same thing;

_What had happened to Edward_

*************************************************************************************ALICE'S POV  
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The ER was buzzing.

Fear, chaos, and screams were swirling around the room. But I, I was excited.

I loved being the person, well the one, to save a life. To give people that second chance that I never really had. It felt amazing, exhilarating to save a life.

I quickly ran to the nurse holding all the patients information.

"What happened?

I asked urgent, but enthusiastic.

"Seventeen year old girl, hit by a car in the student parking lot"

The nurse replied with utter boredom.

_Ugh. _

Ithought

_I'll just handle this myself. _

I snagged the clip bored from her and quickly grazed the rest of her information.

"ALICE! Gauze, now! Stop this bleeding immediately".

As soon as Carlisle shouted the order, I was beside the woman placing and pressing, trying my best to stop the blood flow.

_Whoa this one has quite the scent. _

I held my breath but continued, no big deal. I was used to being around blood this patient would not be any different. I wouldn't let it be. Only briefly did I realize Edward was no longer at the hospital.

_He should be here, the boy practically lives in this hospital now wasn't the time to leave _

I let the annoyance of my brother slip my mind…for now… and continued on with the patient.

I realized she was in more damage than I thought so I wheeled her to the private ER room where I could have a little more privacy, and work _just_ a little quicker. I let out a giggle.

As I worked I whispered to my patient.

"I will be okay don't worry"

"I will do everything I can to save you, and so will my family"

"You really do have the best doctors working on you, you know"

I didn't have a vision about this patient or how things would turn out…yet. But I got a funny feeling about his one. Like we had a special connection. I did not want anything to happen to this one. I sped up my pace and got just a little more frantic in trying to clean her up.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you _Isabella_".


	2. Chapter 2

*************************************************************************************EDWARD'S POV  
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It's been two days. Two whole days have passed since _Isabella_ came into the hospital. Since I smelled her fresh blood, the same smell that has tortured my every breath since. It had been hard, excruciating, to leave the hospital that day. It went against my nature to run away from human blood like that, especially blood that tempted me so. I haven't been back to the hospital, or the house, since that day. I was ashamed of being so weak and running away like that. I got close though. Just close enough to the hospital that I could hear the thoughts of my family. I found out the girls name, what had happened, what they all thought happened to me.

But it was time to go back.

I had to face my family and the hospital sooner or later and cowering out here in the forest was doing no one any good.

On a brave note, I headed back towards the house. They all should be at home by this hour, not that they needed the break being vampires and all but we had to keep up the allusion. I would simply tell them the truth.

_Do _I_ even know what the truth is?_

I asked myself wondering what exactly had happened that day in the hospital. Why was the smell of her blood was so much stronger to me then all the rest when it didn't have nearly the same effect on the others?

I was just approaching the house now. I know the others could here and smell me coming and their thoughts hit me like a tidal wave.

_Edward son, I am so glad your back. Are you alright? What had happened?_

_EDWARD! Oh thank goodness your home I was so worried._

_Edward! Right on time!_

_Honestly Ed pull one more stunt like this and I'm ripping your head off of that scronnie throat. _

I entered the door with caution. Prepared for whatever came my way once I was inside.

*************************************************************************************Rosalie's POV  
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The house was tense.

The same as it's been for the last two days since my selfish brother decided to run away with no warning. GOD! What goes on in that boy's head? The rest of us have problems too but you don't see us running away every time something goes slightly wrong.

_What even went wrong? _

At this point I didn't care. I just wanted to get my hands on that selfish, moody, mother…

"Rosalie can you keep your emotions under control for two seconds I'm trying to think"!

Jasper scolded me for getting a little angry.

_What else is new? _

As the six of us paced about our giant house, Alice had a vision. Blank, expressionless face, no breathing, no blinking. We all waited anxiously for her to tell us what would happen, and I know we were all hoping for her to see the same thing.

"Edward's coming back"

She declared once her vision had ended. A breath of relief came in unison from us all.

""…one minute. He's coming straight to the house".

For the next sixty second we all waited. The tension in the house was so thick you could cut it with a knife. We were all curious, apprehensive to find out what had happened to our _dearest_ Edward that day to make him run away like that. What had made Carlisle and Esme's perfect son flee the hospital so quickly with no warning, no reason.

I let out a giggle.

It was about time the boy slipped up.

My thought was cut short when the sound of Edward's approaching footsteps got close enough for us to hear. And I knew he could hear me as well so I thought I'd cake on the guilt, just for fun.

_Honestly Ed pull one more stunt like this and I'm ripping your head off of that scronnie throat. _

Ha! I hope he's scared.

Alice's little voice broke the silence;

"three, two…"

And there came Edward. Trotting through the door with a look of embarrassment and shame so much so that I almost felt bad for him… almost.

"Edward! Oh honey I was so worried about you".

Leave it to Esme to not be mad at her son who just left us all hanging for two whole days.

"Don't worry mom I'm fine, really".

Carlisle broke the heartfelt moment with his calm steady voice.

"I think we should take this into the dining room. We have much to discuss"

The six of us filed to the large, mahogany dining table, used more as a conference table really, and sat patiently waiting for the much anticipated explanation.

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Edward's POV  
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It had been a long night to say the least. I did my best to explain to my family what had happened to me that day in the hospital.

"Her blood, it was like nothing I've ever smelt before".

I believe those were the words I had used.

I know some of them understood, for they had been through the same thing.

But what was more important then why it happened, was what will happen?

Returning to the hospital where the girl, Isabella, lay in a coma seemed impossible.

I don't know if I could face her again, smell her blood without…

"Ughh"!

I yelled, frustrated and self loathing. I wouldn't be a coward. I would return to my work and display the self control I have been practising for almost one hundred years now. Surely I can do it. I would do it. For Carlisle, for Esme, for all of us.

Determinedly I marched out of the huge front door and took off to the hospital, full speed.

Nothing was better than the feeling of running like this. The freedom, the power. But it was different this time knowing that what I was heading to would be nothing close to pleasant.

With one last breath of fresh air, I entered the hospital.

It seemed like I was walking in slow motion as I got closer and closer to the room where she lay unconscious. Vulnerable, helpless, weak.

_What the hell are you doing here Edward? _

I tried to make myself turn back. To not expose myself to this girl who would surely be so tempting and nearly impossible to resist but no matter what I said, my feet kept moving forward. Closer and closer I came to her room. Ten more steps, nine, eight, seven, six, five…

And I was here. Standing in front of her door. With no idea what to expect. No idea of what I was doing here. But what was on the other side drew me in. There was a pull coming from the other side of this door and I couldn't walk away now. I looked around and the hospital was quite. It was late into the night and not many people were around.

Slowly, very slowly, I opened the door to her room.

The girl who lay on the bed was not the same girl I remembered.

_Maybe because I'm holding my breath?_

Probably. But seeing her lying in that small bed so helpless, attached to countless wires and machines made me want to do everything in my power to help her.

She was really quite pretty. No, pretty was not a good word to use. This girl was beautiful, stunning, her pale skin, her slender body, she was immaculate.

I realized I was walking towards her. I quickly stopped myself and remembered why I shouldn't be this close. Shouldn't be here at all really.

But everything about the girl drew me in. I felt this _need_ to protect her. To save her. To free her from this awful state she was in.

With a sudden jolt, I realized mine were the only thoughts in the room. Isabella was still alive, the heart monitor said so. So why couldn't I hear her thoughts? I've been around coma patients before and I could vaguely read their minds. They weren't exactly coherent but they were there. Colours, images. But this girl, Isabella, was blank. Nothing came from her mind and that frustrated me even more.

_There's something different about this girl_

I took a seat across the room from her. Watching her delicate chest move up and down with each breath she took. Trying to figure her out. Once in a while I would check her chart. Racking my brain for anything, _anything_, I could do to help her. Constantly I had to remind myself not to breathe. Hurting this fragile girl seemed unthinking and I don't know how I could live with myself if I were the cause of that hurt.

_Jesus I don't even know the girl, ease up what's wrong with me! _

As I was sitting in the chair watching and admiring this intriguing girl, when the last thing I thought would happen, happened. She spoke.

"It's so cold…so rainy…ouch"

_What? What does that mean? is she awake? _

"Isabella can you hear me? _Isabella"!_


	3. Chapter 3

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Edward's POV  
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Did Isabella just speak?

"I don't like… it's cold…Mom? Alright"?

Yes, she definitely spoke.

Before I had time to try to understand what the hell that gibberish she was saying meant, I ran to her bedside. Luckily there was no one else in the room because I was far too taken off guard and anxious to keep up my human façade.

Moving at vampire speed, I ran to her bedside. I frantically checked her heart monitor, her breathing, her pupils, but no sign of consciousness.

This made no sense.

She spoke.

I heard her.

Had she woken and fallen back into the coma?

No that seemed hardly likely.

Had I imagined it?

…Probably.

But maybe…just maybe she talked through her coma. It could have been possible right? Comas are very similar to sleep and people talk in their sleep all the time.

I wonder if Isabella was a sleep talker…

_Focus Edward! This isn't the time to get involved with a patients personal life… or whatever category of a person's life sleep talking fell under. _

By now I had finished checking every wire, monitor, and sensory organ on Isabella. She had definitely not woken.

_Talking through a coma. Hmm interesting. _

The next couple of seconds I spent unwillingly staring at the sleeping girl in front of me. Something, I don't know what, but something about this girl drew me in.

Her pale, delicate skin.

Her long, elegant eyelashes.

Her flowing dark brown hair.

This girl was unquestioningly beautiful. But something more than that too. She had a sense of innocence, or damsel in distress. Whatever it was made me want to protect her. Save this girl from all the horrible things this world could do to her. But with that thought came a worse one. Here I was, thinking and looking and wanting to protect a girl who I barely know. More idiotic then that was I wanted to protect her from a world where the most dangerous thing would be me.

_Fuck._

That thought reminded me a jolt that I was dangerous to Isabella. Any vampire was. But me especially was putting her in great danger. Her blood, for some reason, smelt a million times more pleasing to me then it did any other vampire. What was I thinking just 'hangin out' in her room? Was I retarded?

I ran out with such incredible passion and force, making up for the fact I couldn't use my vampire speed in case someone saw me.

God! I was such an idiot! What the hell was I thinking going in there and getting that close and acting as if I was just her regular doctor? I could have killed her! One slip up, one breath could have ruined everything I worked for, everything I try to be, it could have hurt her…

My mind reeled, there were so many things that could've happened, that could have gone wrong.

_But they didn't _

***********************************************

6 hours had passed since I fled the hospital that night.

6 hours had passed since the only thing that was on my mind was Isabella.

6 hours had passed since I heard her speak for the first time and all I want to do was listen to that angelic voice all day, all night.

As thoughts of Isabella swam around in my head, I heard Alice coming up the stairs.

_Hey Ed It's me. Just came to give you some company, see if you're ok._

There really was no use trying to stopping Alice and I kind of did want the company, to distract me from all these absurd thoughts.

Alice poked her head through the door, her short spiky hair sticking up in every direction.

"Edward what's going on with you lately? First you run from the hospital as if it was on fire, then you don't come home for three days. When you do come home it's for barely an hour and since you've return you've been moping around in your room. I'm worried about you. Is everything ok? I'm here if you want to talk, you know that".

Her hopeful little voice was so hard to turn down. I knew she only wanted to help me and make sure I was alright but the last thing I wanted to do was explain this whole situation. Honestly I didn't even know if I could.

"You already know why I left the hospital that day Alice".

"Ok you're right I do know that. Maybe I'm just having a hard time understanding how that feels. I've never had any human's blood smell that good to me. But why would you stay away for three days? Why are you acting this way"?

Her thought continued on what she was trying to say;

_I know you Ed; you're probably beside yourself thinking somehow this is your fault. It's not. You can't help who you are and no one got hurt. If anything you should be proud of yourself. _

"I came this close to ruining everything we've worked for Alice, everything Carlisle built for us, everything we've been trying to be for decades now"

Her thoughts told me that so far, we were on the same page.

"Her blood was so tempting, irresistible, I still have no idea how I had the strength to resist it. So I had to leave. Before my _miraculous_ strength went away. I stayed in the forest trying to figure out what I would do when I came home".

_Or if I would come home at all_

"When I returned, we discussed what had happened and I had a lot to think about. But I decided I didn't want to be a coward, I had to display what I have been working for for this long".

Alice's thoughts interrupted me'

_Typical. He couldn't have just been smart and stayed away? No he had to prove himself even if that meant endangering all of us including Bella. _

_Bella? Had Alice given Isabella a…nickname? _

I ignored her dig at me and the ridiculous closeness she seemed to have with this patient and continued.

"When I got there, it was… weird. I can't read her thoughts Alice! I know it had nothing to do with her condition, I checked, but that's never happened to me before. She was blank. Not a sound. And as I sat there trying to figure out what the hell was happening she spoke".

I sounded ridiculous and I didn't really plan on anyone else knowing about all that happened tonight but it felt good to share it and I knew I could trust Alice.

"She's awake"!?

Alice nearly yelled with more enthusiasm then I thought was really necessary.

"No she didn't wake up".

Alice's expression fell slightly but she continued on listening.

"She talks through her coma. It was the strangest thing. Something about being cold, and her mother…"

My speech trailed off and Alice and I were left staring at each other in confusion and awe. Amazed that she could talk through the state she was in and trying to figure out what she could have been talking about.

"But…"

"Let me finish" I interrupted.

"I can't stop thinking about her Alice. I don't know why, or why this girl but I can't get her out of my thoughts. Her face, her voice, everything just draws me further and further in to this girl that I don't even know. What's happening"?

Waiting for Alice's response, I was taken off guard by one of her visions.

Two people holding each other in an embrace.

The scene flashed and spun around the couple.

_Who are they?_

Flashes of love. Flashes of danger. Flashes of disapproval. Flashes of eternity.

But Alice stopped the vision as abruptly as it started and we were back in my bedroom. Staring at each other with such intensity. Alice's eyes filled with worry and concentration held my confused and startled ones for what could have been hours.


End file.
